BJP Detractors Meet in Delhi at Shettar House

Bangalore: Even as state Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa flew to Delhi in response to a call from the party high command, the dissidents within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who are angered by the autocratic behaviour of the chief minister, met at the house of minister, Shettar, on March 21. They have decided to complain to the party bosses at New Delhi against the chief minister and to initiate “Save Party” campaign.

The discussions of the dissidents hovered around corruption, nepotism, and utter neglect of legislators and ministers, by the CM. They have decided to go to New Delhi as soon as they are summoned by the party leadership, and also discussed about the contents of the complaints to be put before the high command. It was decided to leave the right of taking a final decision to the central leadership.

MP Anant Kumar, state BJP President K S Eshwarappa, minister Ramadas, former minister Aravind Limbavali and a number of other persons took part in the meeting. Efforts to woo ministers and legislators in the chief minister’s camp were also undertaken. The participants spoke to minister Ashok and former minister Kattra Subrahmanya Naidu from the venue over phone. It is learnt that the dissidents have got assurance from four ministers and nine legislators in the chief minister’s group to shift loyalties any time.

Some of the participants gave vent to their anger at the proposed move of Yeddyurappa to complain against Anant Kumar and Eshwarappa. They felt that Yeddyurappa is to be blamed for the blunders and mistakes that have put the party in a hopeless situation, and that he cannot be allowed to point out fingers at others. It was decided to wait for the signals from the central leadership before united action is taken, as the top party leaders are presently busy with elections in five states. One of the participants said that the BJP is forced to face embarrassment, every time some scams in which Yeddyurappa is involved, comes out.

As soon as the CM, who was in Delhi, came to know of the said meeting, he took away four to five out of the eight ministers accompanying him, out of Karnataka Bhavan, and held secret parleys with them. It is gathered that these ministers considered ways and means to handle this issue and complain to the national leadership of the party against Anant Kumar. In all likelihood, the CM will meet Nitin Gadkari and Arun Jaitley today, once they return to national capital from states, and lay bare his ire against Anant Kumar.